Things I would like to see in real life:1

Norway: one day. Image from Your Amazing Places.

There are a whole bunch of other reasons why I would like to visit Norway. Here is just one.

Book Club: This Charming Man by Marian Keys.

Image from Book Depository.

This Charming Man by Marian Keyes.

Written like the adventures of an Irish lass, this romping tale has many surprising twists and turns.

Some of the content left me shaking my head….other aspects were so well written I could see myself and others in the fleshed out characters.

An entertaining read. 

Next book…. A visit from the Goon Squad by Jennifer Egan.

Image from The Book Depository.

 

What’s so interesting about….. sashiko?

Image From Rebecca Koontz Artist’s blog.

Image from aux peptits oiseaux.

 

Sashiko is a Japanese embroidery technique that has it’s origins in mending.

Sashiko in Japanese means literally ‘little stabs.’

Traditionally done on navy Cotton/linen with white, ecru or cream thread, it is a simple running stitch used to create a pattern.

This week my students hand in their modern versions for marking, and I am really excited to see what they come up with.

Of course I cannot show you their work because that wouldn’t be the done thing, I thought I might show you some of the Sashiko I have collated on Pinterest.

Has anyone out there tried it?

Please let me know how you found it in the comments below, or tell me what theme you would like me to pin around for the next What’s so Pinteresting?.

Enjoy.

From the other blog…..

Two slightly different photoshopped images woven back together.

A ‘re-pixalated’ necklace.

You can see more of the process at Art is cheaper than therapy….. my other blog….. if you are interested.

I’m inspired by: William Morris

source: The original Morris & Co.

Lately I have been working on an assignment for uni that gave me a chance to revisit and enjoy one of my favourite artists of all time, William Morris.

William Morris was an arts and crafts master….along with Architect Philip Webb. He worked extensively with fabric, wallpaper, furniture and ceramics.

Here is how his official website describes him….

‘William Morris was the single most influential designer of the nineteenth century, and remains today one of the best known of all British designers. This is due to his extraordinary talent as a pattern designer, his colourful and inspiring life story and to his forceful intellect and personality. Morris was much more than a designer; he was a fervent socialist, scholar, translator and publisher, an environmental campaigner, writer and poet.’

Most of you will know his work even of you don’t know his name…. he was that good. His work is still available world wide, and is so beautifully designed it holds it own 150 years later.

Here’s some more for your enjoyment.

“Love is enough” Source: Morris &Co.

from the Morris & Co site.

Golden Lily Print by William Morris. Photo taken from Morris & Co.

Feel inside….and stuff like that.

Our family has been really enjoying this Flight of the Concords magic.

If you are wondering about the lyrics…..here is the extended version.

You can still purchase the single on itunes and the proceeds go to Cure Kids.

Enjoy!

Holiday doona cover.

The upcycled doona cover.

Over the holidays, while her sisters were doing drama and aerialize  weeklong workshops, 9 year old and I had sewing camp together. She is the most keen daughter when it comes to sewing. 14 year old will do some, 13 year old runs a mile, and 6 year old …well I’m not sure about her yet.

9 year old was given a little Ikea sewing machine for Christmas, so we thought it was an excellent opportunity to give it a run. I am planning to review this little machine now we have given it a run.

We decided together to make a doona cover from my stash of fabrics and old clothing in the cupboard.

The finished cover.

Many of the fabrics are significant to her as they are from different parts of her life and  ours lives as a family.

Close up of tags fabrics etc.

This close-up shows fabrics from a baby dress of hers (lace), a shirt she wore when she was a toddler (heart print) and the blue and white spotty left overs from her Alice in wonderland dress I made for her for her 7th birthday.

We tried as much as we could to keep labels too.

Sleeve tabs were kept.

Here you can see fabrics from a shirt of Tim’s (light blue stripe), lace-edging I bought at a garage sale (with my Mum) when  I first moved to Sydney about 25 years ago….. so I guess that makes it vintage ….., and a shirt of mine (blue flowers).

We tried to keep the garments detailing as much as we could….. like the sleeve tabs. 9 year old then hand-sewed buttons (taken from the shirts we had used) opposite the tabs so treasured toys could be held by them.

The finished poduct.

We finished it off by using a flat white sheet to form the back of the cover.

Every single thing….including thread…. we got from the stash!!

It is not quite a standard size and I did help a lot, but she was amazing and now is planning her next project!

Can’t wait to share it when she does.

….a tradition continues…..

…can you see it?

Keeping with tradition, we got up early on Easter Sunday and headed out to see the sun rise.

It’s a quiet little family ritual we do each year now.

I love the intimateness of it.

Reminds me of the few going to the tomb and discovering it empty.

He has Risen!

Easter Sunday.

You are forgiving and good, O Lord, abounding in love to all who call to you.

Psalm 86:5

Easter hats

6 and 9 year old with their easter hats.

Well….I showed them the inspiration, took them to the $2 shop and this is what we ended up with.

Due to time being minimal, I made them under instructions.

Easter hats have been a much more joyful project since I did some research and found out they were really about spring…..yes, even in Autumn…. and nothing to do with Jesus.

The traditional take by 6 year old.

…..and a much more musical take by 9 year old.